When You’ve Got A New Baby, But Still Gotta Do You Too

When was the last time you showered? Like, really showered — with the door closed, by yourself, and for longer than three minutes? And not counting a dry shampoo dust cloud. If you’re anything like me then you’re trying to solve this math equation like it’s world peace.

With a newborn and a toddler, I’m doing my best to remember that I need time for myself too. And that time to myself can’t be closing my eyes and imagining the 3-year-old brushing my hair is like a trip to the spa. I love you, kid, but it’s not the same. Particularly after the makeup job you gave me that while, yes, adorable was a tad heavy on the clown vibes.

So here’s what I’m doing each morning for me:

So I started dedicating 10 minutes of my morning to myself. Should it be more? Yes. Do I need to start small? Also a yes. But these few minutes I now have to myself have made a difference in my mood — I no longer feel like my days are running together, and I’m letting things roll off me. Like the other day when my daughter just had to share with the librarian that “mommy poops a lot.”

NOTHING is sacred in motherhood, folks.

Teeth

Is there anything more wicked than morning breath? I feel like I could scorch the Earth or at least a 10-foot radius every morning just by doing the breathing thing. I brush my teeth like every other regular mortal, but I decided to kick it up a notch and get fancy with Crest Gum Detoxify. This new deep-penetrating toothpaste uses a cooling activated foam to target hard-to-reach areas and neutralizes bacteria around the gumline. Why wouldn’t I want to start my day by attacking millions of plaque bacteria I have lying around in my mouth. If I accomplish nothing else, I know that my gums are healthier, and that’s oddly satisfying to me. You can save on Crest Gum Detoxify at Walmart with this $2 instant offer.

Face

First off, I’m washing it. And that’s a big step because I was waking up, putting 2 feet on the floor, and going until I crashed. Now I bring the baby into the bathroom with me on most days and one-handed wash my face. The key here is two washcloths: one soaked in face wash and one for rinsing. Am I breaking my own rule with the baby in the bathroom? Ah, rules are meant to be broken, and he’s also cute.

Lewks

Before I had my kids, I was a palette junkie and I’d put on a full face of makeup just because. Now I’ve had to seriously scale back and that’s OK, but I wasn’t feeling like myself at all. My kids do not care if I wear makeup or if I’ve been wearing the same black leggings/long T-shirt uniform for days. But I do care, so on most days you can find me red-lipped. There’s just something about red lipstick that pulls you together no matter how much your hot mess is flaming. Every single day, my mom friend of four puts on mascara. That’s her “feel human” thing. Whatever yours is, try to make it a part of your 10 minutes.

Vibes

Self-care is also about what we surround ourselves with, and I moved some things around in my bathroom in order to focus on bright colors. How could I not get insta-perky looking at those yellow flowers. While “good vibes only” could feel like a command, it doesn’t to me. On any given day, I second-guess myself more than I don’t, so adding positive wall art serves as a reminder to be kinder to myself — that I may not be able to change how people feel, but I can control my reactions. So in many ways, I’m choosing to start my day with “good vibes” by focusing on me so I can be a more present mom.

And when I dedicate those few minutes in the morning to myself, it means I can look at my kids as, yes, adorably exhausting but also the absolute lights of my life, the smile generators, and the belly-laugh inducers I wouldn’t trade for all the red lipstick in the world.

One of the most important aspects of self-care is keeping your teeth and gums happy, and Crest Gum Detoxify is the perfect tool to help moms keep their smile healthy. Save $2 instantly on Crest Gum Detoxify at Walmart by clicking here.